Foreclosures Lead to Abandoned Animals

The house was ravaged — its floors ripped, walls busted and lights smashed by owners who trashed their home before a bank foreclosed on it. Hidden in the wreckage was an abandoned member of the family: a starving pit bull.

The dog found by workers was too far gone to save — another example of how pets are becoming the newest victims of the nation’s mortgage crisis as homeowners leave animals behind when they can no longer afford their property.

Pets “are getting dumped all over,” said Traci Jennings, president of the Humane Society of Stanislaus County in northern California. “Farmers are finding dogs dumped on their grazing grounds, while house cats are showing up in wild cat colonies.”

Click here for the full article.

Should animals that have died out in Britain be reintroduced into the wild?

Environmentalists hope beavers will soon be reintroduced to Scotland, subject to approval by the Scottish Executive. If the trial reintroduction gets the go-ahead three families of European beavers, about 15 to 20 animals, will be brought over from Norway and released into the Knapdale Forest in Mid-Argyll in the spring of 2009. Beavers were hunted to extinction in Scotland in the 16th century for their furs and a secretion, which provided one of the active ingredients in aspirin. Mammals have never been reintroduced into wild in the UK before, though four German beavers were released at a Lancashire nature reserve.

Click here for the full article.

BBC radio series to follow animals across globe

The epic migration journeys made by wildlife is to be chronicled in one of the most ambitious series of natural history programmes ever made by the BBC.

The World On The Move radio series will last almost a year as it follows creatures as diverse as elephants, butterflies and whales across the globe.

It is the largest ever project undertaken by the Bristol-based Natural History Unit and will track migration journeys from beginning to end and back again.

The series, which begins this month, will be made up of 40 half-hour programmes broadcast in two 20-week chunks with a break in August.

Click here for the full article.

THX in the Wild

Fishermen ‘beat dolphin to death’

Fishermen in Bangladesh beat a rare river dolphin to death because they had not seen “this kind of creature before,” according to local news accounts.

The fishermen then tried to sell the body of the Ganges River dolphin as a rare fish. When they failed, the men gave up and dumped it outside a museum — where a large crowd tried to catch a peek, the national Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha news organization reported Tuesday…

…The Ganges River dolphin inhabits the murky waters of the Ganges River and can be spotted only when it surfaces to breathe. Thus, they are very rarely seen, according to the World Wildlife Fund Web site.

Unlike its marine counterpart, these fresh-water dolphins have a pudgy body and an extra-long and sharp-toothed snout. They are almost completely blind probably because of the poor visibility of the waters in the Ganges River, the WWF said.

Click here for the full article.

Panther Finds ‘God’

 

This Panther is about to pounce. The energetic, electro-funk duo will drop their second full length, 14kt God, February 19 on Kill Rock Stars. The follow up to last year’s Secret Lawns (Fryk Beat) will be their first release with the label and promises to be as neurotic and danceable as ever, addressing such subjects as airplane phobia, sexual mania and (perhaps most troubling of all) politics.

Panther has also announced plans to support the album with a US tour, beginning in Mount Vernon, Washington February 8. The band will hit a number of big cities, including New York, San Francisco and Austin, but will also be favoring the smaller metropolises of Fargo, Knoxville and Baton Rouge with their presence. Their notorious paranoid dance party has previously opened for everyone from the Gossip to Wolf Eyes.

Tracklist for 14kt God:
01. Puerto Rican Jukebox
02. Her Past Are the Trees
03. Decision, Decision
04. On the Lam
05. Violence, Diamonds
06. These Two Trees
07. Worn Moments
08. Glamorous War
09. Take Yr Cane
10. Beautiful Condo
11. 14kt God
12. Total Sexy Church
13. What You Hear

Tour Dates for Panther:
2/08 – Mount Vernon, WA – The Retrodoxy
3/01 – San Francisco, CA – Rickshaw Stop
3/04 – Seattle, WA – Nectar
3/06 – Portland, OR – Holocene*
3/08 – Salt Lake City, UT – Slowtrain
3/09 – Denver, CO – Larimer Lounge
3/11 – Oklahoma City, OK – Conservatory
3/17 – Baton Rouge, LA – Spanish Moon**
3/18 – Atlanta, GA – Drunken Unicorn**
3/19 – Knoxville, TN – Pilot Light
3/20 – Washington, DC – Red and Black
3/21 – Philadelphia, PA – Khyber
3/22 – New York, NY – Knitting Factory**
3/23 – Somerville, MA – PA’s Lounge***
3/26 – Detroit, MI – Scrummage University
3/27 – Chicago, IL – Abbey Pub
3/28 – Minneapolis, MN – 7th Street Entry
3/29 – Fargo, ND – Aquarium
* with Parenthetical Girls
** with WHY?
*** with Citay, White Hinterland

www.panthertouch.com

Story by: Judy Berman

Click here for the article’s source.

Polar Bears Need Urgent Protection, WWF and Conservation Groups Testify

Margaret Williams, WWF’s Director of the Bering Sea ecoregion program, called for urgent action to save polar bears at the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works hearing entitled “Examining Threats and Protections for the Polar Bear” on Wednesday, January 30, 2008. The hearing was convened to examine the status of and legal protections for the polar bear, including the Endangered Species Act (ESA), and the status of listing the species under the act.

“Listing polar bears under the ESA is a last resort, and in essence, signifies a failure of policy and management to date,” said Williams. “We have known for some time of the dangers of global warming, and should have acted more expeditiously to address them. We need to closely scrutinize and prevent all actions that may add further stress to the polar bear, including conducting oil and gas leasing in prime polar bear habitat.”

While WWF and Alaska Wilderness League applaud congressional interest in the plight of the polar bears, we join the conservation community in urging for the immediate listing of the polar bear and calling for a dramatic decrease in green house gases, the source of global warming that is melting polar bear habitat and transforming the Arctic…

…Analyses recently published by the US Geological Survey show that by mid-21st century, two-thirds of the world’s polar bear population could be lost, mainly due to loss of sea ice. As this sea ice habitat decreases, the entire food chain will be affected – from the tiniest plankton to the forage fish, the ringed seal, and the king of the north, the polar bear.

Click here for the full article.

Bowerbirds Fly To Dead Oceans

After releasing their debut album, Hymns for a Dark Horse (Burly Time) to rave reviews, Raleigh, North Carolina’s jangly folk-pop troubadours Bowerbirds have signed a deal with Dead Oceans. They will join a roster that includes such diverse and innovative bands as Dirty Projectors, Evangelicals and Bishop Allen. First on the label’s agenda for Bowerbirds will be an expanded reissue of Hymns, complete with bonus tracks. Dead Oceans will also release a previously unavailable vinyl edition of the album. A new full-length is also on the long-term to-do list.

“It is always a big thrill to start working with a band where you are a fan before you are a label,” says Dead Oceans president Phil Waldorf. “I saw Bowerbirds open up for John Vanderslice back in September and the show was magical. They silenced a room of new fans, not with volume and bombast, but with the joy and emotion that pours through the songs. I went from casual fan to super fan over the course of the set.”

Bowerbirds are also gearing up for a tour alongside new labelmates Phosphorescent. Their jaunt begins on February 23 close to home, in Durham. From there, the band will work their way up the East Coast and into the midwest before lighting out to Texas.

Tour Dates For Bowerbirds:
02/23 – Durham, NC – Duke Coffeehouse
02/24 – Washington, DC – Black Cat
02/26 – Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda’s*
02/27 – Brooklyn, NY – Union Hall*
02/29 – New York, NY – Mercury Lounge*
03/01 – Northampton, MA – Iron Horse*
03/03 – Bloomington, IN – John Waldron Art Center*
03/04 – Chicago, IL – Schuba’s*
03/05 – Minneapolis, MN – 7th St. Entry*
03/06 – Omaha, NE – Slowdown*
03/07 – Lawrence, KS – Jackpot*
03/08 – Norman, OK – Opolis*
03/10 – Dallas, TX – The Cavern*
03/11 – Abilene, TX – Monks*
*with Phosphorescent

www.bowerbirds.org

Story by: Judy Berman

Click here for source of article

Sharing this email from HSUS: “Cruelty in our children’s school lunches?”

 Note to Readers and Listeners:

In this post, I’m enclosing an email I received from the Humane Society of the United States regarding their “Factory Farming Campaign.”  I’m posting it here for educational purposes. Kitty Mowmow’s Animal Expo is going to stay neutral on this and many other animal-related issues.  That is, I usually try to post news and opinions of others without letting my own opinions interfere.  Kitty Mowmow’s Animal Expo should be considered a starting-point for discussion and one of many ways to educate yourself about animal-related news and issues.

-Kitty Mowmow

	January 30, 2008
Tell USDA: Stop Allowing the Torture of Downed Cows to Feed Our Schoolchildren Dragging cows too weak to stand. Shocking them with electric prods when they can’t walk. Ramming them with forklifts. Even forcing water down their throats — right out of the manual on waterboarding. Our shocking undercover investigation revealed these and other abuses of “downed” dairy cows — those who are too sick or injured to walk — at a Southern California slaughter plant. And The Humane Society of the United States’ investigation also discovered that the meat from these tortured animals gets fed to children through the National School Lunch Program! Please watch our investigative video, and then take action today to stop this cruelty. Our video of the cruelty is very difficult to watch. Even worse is the thought that an outfit like Hallmark Meat Packing Company got away with this kind of abuse every day, without proper oversight from the USDA. Urge the USDA to tighten its lax enforcement of the downer rule and to close the rule’s loophole — so that cows who are obviously in no shape to walk are not taken to slaughter in the first place. Don’t forget to tell your friends and family how they can help, too. Thank you for all you do for animals. Sincerely, Wayne Pacelle President and CEO The Humane Society of the United States P.S. You can find the full details of this shocking investigation on our website or in a recent Washington Post story.

Animal-esque Artist news: American EELS Tour Dates

Dear EELStheband.com visitor,

EELS have just added American dates to the 2008 tour. Here are the latest added EELS tour dates:

March
28 Philadelphia, PA   First Unitarian Church
29 Washington, DC   Sixth & I Historic Synagogue
31 Boston, MA        Somerville Theatre
April
1   New York, NY      Highline Ballroom
2   New York, NY      Highline Ballroom
4   Toronto, ONT      The Mod
5   Detroit, MI         Majestic Theatre
6   Chicago, IL         Park West
7   Minneapolis, MN    Pantages Theatre
9   Boulder, CO        Fox Theatre
11 Seattle, WA        Showbox Theatre
13 Portland, OR        Wonder Ballroom
14 San Francisco, CA   Palace Of Fine Arts
16 Los angeles, CA     El Rey Theater

See all the latest EELS tour dates and ticket links on the EELS tour dates page here:
( http://www.eelstheband.com/tourdates/index.php )

Ticket links will be added as we get them!

More info:
( http://www.EELStheband.com )

Animal rights groups pick up momentum

The growing influence of animal rights activists increasingly is affecting daily life, touching everything from the foods Americans eat to what they study in law school, where they buy their puppies and even whether they should enjoy a horse-drawn carriage ride in New York’s Central Park.

Animal activist groups such as the Humane Society of the United States and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) say they are seeing a spike in membership as their campaigns spread.

“There’s been an explosion of interest” in animal welfare issues, says David Favre, a Michigan State University law professor and animal law specialist. “Groups like the Humane Society of the United States and PETA have brought to our social awareness their concerns about animals and all matter of creatures.”

Click here to read the full article. 

200 Animals Seized By SPCA May Be Put Up For Adoption

Two hundred neglected animals seized in east Texas may soon need a new home. The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals rescued the 200 animals — including 26 hissing cockroaches and two bearded dragons — from a home near Marshall on Friday.

Click here to read the full article.

News from the Humane Society of the United States: Opening hearts for chained dogs

	Unchain My Heart Many chained dogs across the country will receive very special valentines this year thanks to Dogs Deserve Better, a group dedicated to ending the suffering endured by perpetually chained dogs. Read how you can help chained dogs by making or sponsoring valentines, mailing coupons for dog food or anonymously reporting the address of a chained or penned dog who could use some love.      To the Rescue Purebred rescue groups are a great option if you’re thinking of adopting a purebred dog or cat. Here are a few tips on how you can find a rescue group near you.         Personality Profile Is someone new taking care of your favorite feline while you’re away from home? Download and fill out our cat personality profile so you can provide your cat’s caretaker with all of her details, from your contact information to her favorite treats and games to play to help make sure she feels at home, even when you’re away. More Pet Tips »   Tragedy to Triumph When 11-year-old Haley Ham lost her pets to antifreeze poisoning, she was heartbroken. But this pre-teen turned her sadness into success when she embarked on a campaign to help other animals. Check out Wayne’s blog for the rest of Haley’s story, and find out how to protect your pets from antifreeze.                join the Pets For Life newsletter here.

News From Best Friends Animal Society: The Vicktory Dogs

Dear Members and Friends,

We call them the Vicktory dogs.
They’re the 22 dogs, rescued from ex-football star Michael Vick’s infamous Bad Newz Kennels, who are now living at Best Friends. And as of today, when the final court proceedings were concluded, we can begin to introduce you to these dogs.

Bottom line: they’re very different from anything you may have imagined or have been led to believe –even by other national animal organizations. Most are quite timid, many have clearly been abused, some have been forcibly bred many times over, others have apparently been used as bait dogs. There are certainly some champion fighters among them, but even these are very different from some Hound of the Baskervilles image of a snarling dog trying to attack everything and everyone in sight.

And that’s the thing about dogs like these – they’re so eager to please, so responsive to people, that all these good character traits have been used against them. (Remember that only a generation or two ago, pit bulls were renowned as “America’s family dog.”)

We’ve posted an initial report about them today. And we’ll be starting to tell their stories in more detail on Monday, when we’re also welcoming TV and news reporters to the sanctuary to meet the dogs in person for the first time and to publish the first photos and videos of them.

On Monday, we’ll also be starting a new blog, where you can follow the progress of the Vicktory dogs, along with links to pages on the Best Friends Network where you can learn more about how Best Friends is working to end the billion-dollar dog-fighting industry and help the millions of cast-off dogs who end up in shelters that have no means of caring for them.

Have a good weekend, and watch for a further e-mail on Monday with details of our coverage of the Vicktory dogs.

Michael Mountain
Best Friends

No show this week!

Listeners/readers there will be no radio show this week, kitty mow mow has the flu 😦
Check in next week,
kmm admin

Animal-esque Artist ” Band of Horses” kicks off tour and performs with Sufjan Stevens

Click here for a bit more info on the the Band of Horses tour, from Paste Magazine.

January
23 – Boston, Mass. @ Paradise Rock Club *
24 – State College, Pa. @ State Theatre *
25 – Cleveland, Ohio @ Beachland Ballroom *
26 – Louisville, Ky. @ Headliner’s (Halfway to Forecastle) *
27 – Newport, Ky. @ Southgate House *
29 – Nashville, Tenn. @ Exit/In *
30 – Memphis, Tenn. @ Hi Tone Café *
31 – St. Louis, Mo. @ Gargoyle *

February
1 – Norman, Okla. @ Meacham Auditorium (U. of Oklahoma) *
2 – Dallas, Texas @ Palladium Ballroom *
3 – Austin, Texas @ La Zona Rosa *
4 – Baton Rouge, La. @ Spanish Moon *
6 – Birmingham, Ala. @ Bottle Tree *
7 – Tallahassee, Fla. @ Beta Bar *
9 – Orlando, Fla. @ Social *
10 – Orlando, Fla. @ Social *
12 – Mt. Pleasant, S.C. @ Village Tavern *
13 – New York, N.Y. @ Carnegie Hall (Tibet House Benefit) #
20 – Dublin, Ireland @ Button Factory
21 – Glasgow, Scotland – ABC
23 – Birmingham, England @ Academy
24 – Manchester, England @ Academy
25 – Bristol, England @ Thekla Social
28 – Paris, France @ La Maroquinerie
29 – Cologne, Germany @ Gebäude 9

March
1 – Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Paradiso
2 – Hamburg, Germany @ Knust
4 – Copenhagen, Denmark @ Vega
5 – Gothenburg, Sweden @ Sticky Fingers
6 – Stockholm, Sweden @ Debaser
7 – Oslo, Norway @ Rockefeller
8 – Stavanger, Norway @ Folken
10 – Berlin, Germany @ Columbia Club
11 – Frankfurt, Germany @ Mousonturm
12 – Milan, Italy @ Garage
13 – Zurich, Switzerland @ Abart
14 – Lausanne, Switzerland @ Le Romandie
15 – Brussels, Belgium @ Botanique
21 – Orlando, Fla. @ The Social
22 – Tampa, Fla. @ The Cuban Room

* w/ Cass McCombs
# w/ Sufjan Stevens, Philip Glass, and others

Animal-esque artist news: Super Furry Animals Open An All-Request Line for North American Tour

For their forthcoming North American tour (beginning tomorrow in Brooklyn), Welsh wonders the Super Furry Animals have developed a request line allowing fans to place requests to hear their favorite songs at specific shows (embedded below).

According to the Beggars Banquet blog, “The band will be taking requests via this little embeddable voting widget. Just select the show and find the song that you want the band to play, and then vote. The results are being tracked in real-time – Super Tuesday style – and will be fed to the band as they course around the U.S. [and Canada.]”

Click here to read the full article.

The Insides of Bears

Bears, is a series of portraits of the most unusual sort: ordinary teddy bears that have been turned inside out and restuffed. Each animal’s appearance is determined by the necessities of the manufacturing process. Simple patterns and devices never meant to be seen are now prominent physical characteristics, giving each one a distinctly quirky personality: their fasteners become eyes, their seams become scars, and their stuffing creeps out in the most unexpected places. Together these images form a topology of strange yet oddly familiar creatures. They are at once hideous yet cuddly, disturbing yet endearing, absurd yet adorable, while offering a metaphor for us all to consider. These bears, which have lived and loved and lost as much as their owners, have suffered and endured through it all. It is by virtue of revealing their inner core might we better understand our own.

Click here to learn more about this series by Kent Rogowski.

And now, to lighten the mood:

Humane Society slams blood pressure study on chimps

The Humane Society of the United State (HSUS) has come out swinging in its opposition to an experiment conducted on 110 chimps at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. The experiment was intended to show the effects of sodium on blood pressure. The Humane Society says the “use of chimpanzees for yet another study on salt was simply unwarranted.”

 

The amount of evidence that “salt affects blood pressure in humans is vast and has even been cited by the salt industry itself,” says Kathleen Conlee, director of program management for animal research issues at the HSUS. The chimpanzees were fed varying levels of sodium over two years and were knocked down with anesthetics at least twice a year for blood pressure measurements. A similar experiment published in 1995 already showed that increasing salt in a chimpanzee’s diet causes their blood pressure to rise.

 

“The American Heart Association’s website, which oversees the very journal that printed this study, along with the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, all say that to lower blood pressure, people should consume less salt. There was absolutely no scientific need for these animals to undergo this experiment,” Conlee explains…

 

.“There should not be valuable funds wasted on research involving endangered species to tell us something we all already know,” says Conlee. “The 1,200 chimpanzees remaining in laboratories, some of who have been there for more than 50 years should be provided with permanent sanctuary and spared from this and other experimentation.”

Click here to read the full article.